Prison romance can be hard. They’re even more difficult when you consider all the restrictions of a prison inmate. All of the rules regarding visits, phone calls, touching, and kissing can make it hard to keep the flame burning. Once that’s lost, most people lose interest in one another and the relationship gets stale and … Read more
Family photos and pictures, in general, can be used to uplift and encourage someone as well as and relive or review moments made in history. They are extremely beneficial to inmates for their well being and positive development. It gives them something to look forward to joining once they get out. It invokes the desire … Read more
The majority of inmates in a prison camp are non-violent offenders that just needed money and sought it out illegally. Many wanted to take care of their families the best they could and others just wanted the wealth and luxury that money brings. Even if they didn’t commit a crime with regards to illegal financial … Read more
I’ve been thinking about what would make prison camp more productive for the inmates. I thought carefully about all of my experiences when I was in prison at Herlong Prison Camp and when I stay at the Oakland Halfway House. If these suggestions are possible, it would better prepare inmates for society and make their … Read more
Inmates are required to get jobs while in prison. They are paid various and competitive wages just as if they are in the real world. The only difference is that the wages are significantly lower, so when a good job goes out of business, it’s a lot more detrimental to inmates. One business in particular … Read more
One of the most important details when looking for a job is the amount of money being offered for the position. As inmates, one of the privileges lost is job hunting by salary. In fact at Herlong Prison Camp, the amount of money given to a working inmate is just about the same given to … Read more
Part of the prison care system allows inmates to receive healthcare. In order to be able to see a doctor, dentist, or any healthcare provider, a form called a cop-out was needed. Once it was filled out and approved, inmates could visit the appropriate office. I needed to have my teeth cleaned so I filled … Read more
Rumor Has It Sexual desire is normally very strong in males to begin with and everyone knows the urge for sex doesn’t relinquish its grip when you’re in prison. In fact, the desire increases with every hour that it’s unfulfilled. The media has brainwashed society to thinking that every prison is filled with stories of … Read more
While I was in camp, I learned that if you became a strong person because of being in prison camp, then you were already a strong person before you got to camp. Prison camp isn’t really about rehabilitation, it’s more about being restricted or like being in detention. When I did wrong at home, my … Read more
One of the most famous saying for anyone going to prison is, ‘Don’t drop the soap’. Most people think that the showers in jail are large community showers where CO’s and other inmates intimately watch over you. However, I found that to be untrue at Herlong Federal Prison Camp. I admit, I was surprised when … Read more
“Snitches get stitches” is a powerful statement that implies that tattle tales or snitches deserve the consequence of being beat up various people. The outside community never favors a snitch and neither does the prison community. I spent a little time in Herlong Prison Camp and encountered snitches. Here’s a little story about why you … Read more
Laundry can seem like a chore if you’re not in the comfort of your own home. It can be a hassle to lug your clothing around the corner, even if you live at an apartment complex where a laundry room is provided. Of course, in prison you don’t have a choice but to take your … Read more
I understand and respect it when people say prison camp was comfortable and not a real prison. The longer I stayed there, the more I understood the statement. However, some things made it more difficult to stay there. One of those things were false hopes and in this case, it was the false hope of … Read more
Lock downs within the prison system are a serious issue for both inmates and staff. They are the result of what the administration deems a loss of control on their part. In this instance, a group of inmates decided to gather together during recreation. This caused a scare for the system and they locked down … Read more
From time to time, the executive staff of the prison will send out memos regarding current incidences. Many things can happen in prison and most of the time it’s negative. When negative events put staff and inmates in danger, lockdowns can occur. The following memo was sent out after a recent lockdown. It is supposed … Read more
Prison inmates are kept to strict standards when it comes to dress codes and recreation. However, from time to time, inmates can get off track from the guidelines and will have to be reminded of the rules. Some of the following rules are common sense. For example, if the prison staff is tasked with keeping … Read more
When most inmates leave prison, their number need is finances. If friends and family have been putting money into an inmates account, when the inmate is released from prison, the amount within their account is released to them. However, some will have more money in their account than the prison can give in cash. This … Read more
Structure is needed to facilitate order and prisons are full of structure. In this memo from the supervisor of recreation, a detailed system for taking and receiving prison photos is given. The document states that prisoners must wear certain clothing, refrain from obscene gestures, and use a voucher to “buy” their photos. Photo vouchers can … Read more
Filing A Request In Prison Filing an Inmate Request to Staff form while in prison can seem like a daunting task. The form itself isn’t scary, but the thoughts of retaliation, punishment and denial can cause fear, depending on what is being requested. However, there are times it must be done regardless of the request. … Read more
My thought process when entering prison camp was to make sure that this experience was a positive one. Although I was locked up in a place filled with rumors of gangs, sexual assaults, and a major loss of freedom, I did my best to stay on a positive path. As you read this memo, you … Read more
It’s memos like these that keep prison television shows raw. Inmates making “hooch” or other alcoholic drinks are regularly seen on TV. Shows are also portraying inmates that make various weapons. What the shows don’t show you are the interrupted routines of those that just want to get through their sentences. I had a routine … Read more
Periodically, inmates receive memos from the Warden or other prison and prison camp staff about updates in policy or other warnings. This is an official memo found in the Trulincs system. The memo below tells both the prison camp and the prison that the administration is getting rid of the normal full-sized breakfast. They are … Read more
All inmates are waiting for the day that they can leave the prison or prison camp. Some of them, like myself, transferred to a halfway house, but the others transferred from prison to their own residences. This could be that they have completed their sentence or that they are on parole. I never had to … Read more
Every year, inmates are given a survey about the food the prison serves. It asks each inmate which food they wanted to keep and which foods they wanted to get rid of. There are a ton of conspiracy theories about the quality of the food at prison. There are also questions about who really chooses … Read more
This document is from the TRULINCS. Inmates can find this and more under “Bulletin” Every month, a new Federal Register will be placed in that section. This volume gives information about where to smoke for both administration and correctional officers. Inmates are NOT allowed to smoke. Smoking would result in major disciplinary action. For more … Read more
Have you ever seen the flag flown in the middle of the flagpole? If you’ve ever wondered why, the memo below may offer an explanation. It is usually flown in the middle of the flagpole on a holiday like Memorial Day. That holiday commemorates the life sacrifice that the men and women of the military … Read more
Suicide prevention is one of the most important aspects of prison control. Males have a higher rate of suicide, not just in prison, but in general. Prison can make a person even more susceptible to depression and other mental health disorders. It is up to the prison staff to be aware of the signs and … Read more
What Are Your Rights and Responsibilities As An Inmate? Most know that there a lot of liberties and privileges taken away while in jail, but which ones? When you’re arrested, the law enforcing personnel is required to “read you your rights”. This tells you what you can do and how to protect yourself from further … Read more
Staying in touch with family and/or friends is sometimes essential to an inmates psychological and emotional stability. Being able to communicate with those that love you is a reward of its own. When someone is unable to speak to their loved ones, depression and agitation can set in quickly. Fortunately, the prison has multiple ways … Read more
Staying in touch with loved ones can be challenging when you’re away at prison camp or prison. There are no cell phones allowed and if you’re caught with one then you most likely will receive a shot (disciplinary action). The phones that are available cost money and inmates aren’t the ones that pay the bill. … Read more
If you pay your cell phone bill each month then I’m sure you’ll understand how the Inmate Minute Revalidation Cycle operates. Every month your cell phone carrier allots you a certain amount of minutes to use each month (unless you have unlimited minutes). When you reach that amount within a month, you cannot make any … Read more
Oakland Halfway House is a transitional living institution for former inmates located in Oakland, California. This post is a brief recount of my stay there and how to survive your stay. Oakland Halfway House is a co-ed residency in which the women are the minority and the men are the majority. The women stayed in … Read more
Prisons are supposed to be about reforming individuals to become better citizens in society. That’s supposedly why they offer GED classes, lucrative hobbies, and prison jobs. The prison I attended had an idea to host a voluntary job fair. The only odd thing about it being voluntary was that it wasn’t; it was mandatory for … Read more
The funny thing about being here in prison is that the correctional officers (COs) think they are better than everyone else. I don’t know if it’s their job status or just because they’re COs. I wonder if it’s a superiority complex or an inferiority complex. Either way, it’s like they’re showing off their riches in … Read more
According to TV, prison food always looks like slop from a pig trough that’s ladled into a bowl or plate. It’s the lumpiest looking goop you’ve ever seen. It’s something that you can’t imagine that people would ever eat, even if they were starving. However, prison food isn’t like that at all. At least not … Read more
I remember I was in the Sports room watching the Heat during the Eastern Conference finals. All of the inmates had assigned seats. The seats that were closer to the TV belonged to the brothers that were in prison the longest. The seats that were against the wall and directly across from the television were … Read more
When you have a loved one in prison, one of the most important things to remember is communication. Despite their actions and the fact that they are locked away, they still need to communicate with their family. It’s an entirely new and oppressing situation that they are facing and your support is needed. Communication with … Read more
According the the Bureau of Prisons (BOP), TRULINCS (also known as Corrlinks) is described as follows: “The Trust Fund Limited Inmate Computer System (TRULINCS) is a new program currently being deployed by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to provide inmates with some limited computer access, to include the capability to send and receive electronic … Read more
Introduction I don’t consider myself to be a professional on the subject of anything prison related. I feel that I would have to spend much more time in prison than the twelve months (of a seventeen-month sentence) I spent at Herlong Prison Camp. If there was someone that stayed longer than I, then I would … Read more